“A wicked way with a lyric and a glint of well-controlled mischief.”
–The New York Times
“Slyly sophisticated, easily accessible, Saloff stands as a kind of ideal.”
–Chicago Tribune
“She is dynamic, a powerhouse of passion!”
–San Francisco Examiner
Highly acclaimed, Chicago based vocalist and comedian, Spider Saloff, uses her spectacular voice, incredible range and wildly entertaining stage presence to mesmerize her audiences during her stellar performances.
Not to mention her popular posts on YouTube, Instagram and other social media!
Full symphony orchestras or intimate jazz groups have accompanied Saloff who is recognized as one of the great interpreters of the American Songbook. Saloff has composed multiple concert tributes to Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Stephen Sondheim and many others. She also has been endorsed by the estates of the Gershwins,Cole Porter and Irving Berlin.
Ms. Saloff has won accolades around the world for her introspective yet comedic approach to the genre, most profoundly through her one-woman tribute to George Gershwin, The Memory of All That, conceived with the blessing of the Gershwin estate and headlining the Gershwin Centennial in St. Petersburg, Russia
She’s also been heard around the world as the host/ star of the syndicated public radio series Words and Music. But for thousands the most familiar way to enjoy Spider Saloff has been through live performances.
Saloff’s concert career includes recent performances at the Poznan Poland Jazz Fest, The Pheasantry in London, as well as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Overture Center, The Auditorium Theater, and the Smithsonian Institution
At the famed Chicago Jazz Festival, she performs to audiences of over 26,000 at Chicago’s Millennium Park as well as multiple performances at Ravinia Music Festival and many other venues.
Her major night club engagements include turns in Chicago at Winter’s Jazz Club, The Green Mill and Jazz Showcase. She has also performed in New York at Birdland and Feinstein’s among many others nationwide. During her residence in New York City, she achieved rave reviews and was awarded 5 MAC awards (Manhattan Association of Cabarets) and 2 Bistro Awards by the New York Press.
As composer, playwright and actress, Saloff wrote a one-woman musical, The Roar of the Butterfly that played in Chicago, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. Her original song When You See Me, a jazz/R&B tune has garnered over 100,000 views on YouTube.
She has performed and taught master-classes in the UK, Italy, and all over the US with private students and group classes. Her philosophy in teaching is to work with the voice of each individual to create a style that is unique and natural to that particular voice. Students have described working with Spider as “life changing”.
Spider Saloff. An extraordinary vocalist, performance artist, comedian, radio host and teacher. A true American treasure.
Awards include:
2 Bistro Awards (New York)
5 MAC awards (Manhattan Association of Cabarets)
Gold Coast Award for Excellence (Chicago Night Clubs)
Special Citation from NARAS (Grammy Awards)
2 Emmonds Awards (LA press award for live performance)
Her discography includes 9 national releases: 1938, Sextet, The Memory of All That, Cool Yule ,A New Set of Standards, The Women Who Swing Chicago, Like Glass, Cole Porter Live at Maxim’s, Ella, Ella, Ella: A Musical Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. Her Christmas CD entitled Cool Yule was a finalist for the Indie Awards.